flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000

ASRS Report

82133

Person 2

Function

controller : radar

Qualification

controller : radar

Events

Anomaly

conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other

Independent Detector

other flight crewa

Resolutory Action

flight crew : took evasive action

Consequence

Other

Miss Distance

horizontal : 2000 vertical : 0

Supplementary

Primary Problem

Ambiguous

Air Traffic Incident

other

Narrative:

On profile descent around 12000', I saw a light twin banking sharply at about the 2-3 O'clock position. The twin had obviously seen us and was turning to avoid, but I took control of the aircraft and banked left to ensure sep. We asked center if he was showing the aircraft on radar, and he showed nothing but said he would look for him. We were then handed off to approach. The traffic was difficult to see due to low sun at the 1-2 O'clock position and haze. Mandatory xponders with altitude encoding capability on all aircraft would have alerted ATC to the potential conflict, and would have alerted us to the problem much sooner than visibility acquisition provided.

Narrative: ON PROFILE DSCNT AROUND 12000', I SAW A LIGHT TWIN BANKING SHARPLY AT ABOUT THE 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. THE TWIN HAD OBVIOUSLY SEEN US AND WAS TURNING TO AVOID, BUT I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND BANKED LEFT TO ENSURE SEP. WE ASKED CENTER IF HE WAS SHOWING THE ACFT ON RADAR, AND HE SHOWED NOTHING BUT SAID HE WOULD LOOK FOR HIM. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO APCH. THE TFC WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO LOW SUN AT THE 1-2 O'CLOCK POS AND HAZE. MANDATORY XPONDERS WITH ALT ENCODING CAPABILITY ON ALL ACFT WOULD HAVE ALERTED ATC TO THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT, AND WOULD HAVE ALERTED US TO THE PROB MUCH SOONER THAN VIS ACQUISITION PROVIDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.